Needle control valve



Oct. 18, 1955 c. w. FRY

NEEDLE CONTROL VALVE Filed Oct. 12, 1954 INVENTOR. CZ #7020 W F9) BY United States Patent NEEDLE CONTROL VALVE Cliiford W. Fry, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Certified Gas Equipment Corporation, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 12, 1954, Serial No. 461,757

8 Claims. (Cl. 251263) This invention relates as indicated to needle control valves and to a novel means and mode for mounting and actuating such needle valves.

Needle valves of the character to which the present invention relates are designed primarily for the purpose of controlling the flow of gas to stoves such as domestic units used in homes and it is the function of the valve to accurately control the quantity of gaseous fuel delivered to the burner.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved means for and mode of mounting of the needle portion of the valve and for controlling its movement relative to its seat so that not only may the size of the orifice be controlled Within accurate limits, but also the fragile needle and its associated fine seat cannot be damaged in use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a needle valve structure in which the parts are capable of manufacture at relatively low cost and are formed so that there is a minimum of likelihood of parts becoming disarranged and the valve rendered inoperative during normal use.

Other and more particular objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed draw ing setting forth in detail one illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the in vention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view of a valve body of the character to which this invention relates showing one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 taken on the plane substantially indicated by the line 22;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the plane substantially indicated by and in the direction of the arrows on line 3-3;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the plane substantially indicated by line 44 and in the direction of the arrows associated with such line;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a valve similar to that illustrated in Fig. l but showing an alternative form of construction of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of one of the elements of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a valve structure similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, but showing yet another modified form of construction in accordance with the principles of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the needle valve portion of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the needle valve tructure forming a part of the assembly illustrated in Broadly stated the present invention may be defined as a needle comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly-facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; a cam surface on said needle valve member, a helical spring arranged coaxially with said needle valve member and having a portion thereof in arrangement with said cam surface, and means for rotating said spring.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and more especially to Fig. l, the valve here illustrated as containing one embodiment of my invention comprises generally a body 1 having an ingress passageway 2 which through a branch passageway 3 leads to a lateral passageway 4 in a removable cap 5. In the barrel or body 6 of the valve there is a further passageway 7 communicating with the passageway 4 and which leads eventually to the outlet orifice presently described in greater detail, and which orifice is controlled by the needle valve of the present invention.

The cap or plate 5 is rotatable relatively to the body 1 by means such as are commonly employed in valves of this kind, but which means have been omitted from the drawings for purposes of simplification and in order that the principal features of the valve with which the present invention is concerned will not be obscured.

The barrel 6 of the valve is terminally externally threaded to receive in telescopic engagement therewith an internally threaded cap 8 which at its upper end is provided with a constriction or orifice 9 into which the point 10 of a needle valve 11 projects. The needle valve proper of the modification illustrated in Fig. 1 is shown more clearly in Fig. 8 and in addition to the stem 11 and point 10 just described, it comprises a body portion generally indicated at 12 on which there are formed a plurality of rows such as 13, 14 and 15 of radially extending teeth 16. The circumferential extent of the teeth 16 and the spacing circumferentially between the rows 13, 14 and 15 of such teeth is such that a helical spring 17 may be threaded onto the body of the needle valve.

The inner surface of the barrel 6 in which the needle valve member 11 is mounted is provided with a plurality of axially extending circumferentially spaced straight slots which have a depth and width so as to provide a sliding fit therein of the rows of teeth 13, 14 and 15. At this point it should be noted that the number of rows of teeth is not particularly critical, the construction illustrated in Fig. 8 having three such rows.

The spring 17 is preferably of substantially uniform pitch and of such a diameter as to closely embrace the inner surface of the passage in the barrel 6, which passage at an intermediate position therein has a shoulder 18 against which the lower end of the helical portion of the spring 17 is adapted to seat.

The upper or opposite end of the helical spring 17, in the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1 seats against a ring 19 carried in a suitable annular recess provided therefor on the inner periphery of the cap 8.

The stock from which the helical spring 17 is formed extends axially as at 20 in the passage 7 and has a rebent end 21 in the passage 4 in the cap 5.

By having reference to Fig. 4 which shows the upper face of the cap 5 it will be noted that the passage 4 is crescent-shaped so that as the cap 5 is rotated through about the passage 4 will always be in register with the passage 3. Into the wall surrounding the crescentshaped passage 4 there is cut a slot 22 into which projects the rebent end of the axial projecting portion of the spring 17 so that as the cap 5 is rotated relatively to the body 1 the spring 17 will be correspondingly rotated with respect to the body 1. The under or lower face as viewed in Fig. 1 of the cap'S is provided'with a notch 23 into which may project an interlocking means of that portion of the valve (not illustrated) by which the cap 5 is rotated relatively to the body 1 and secured in any selected relatively rotated position. At this point it should be noted that the upper face of the cap 5 and the face of the body 1 with which it is in contact are. round and fittted surfaces so as to provide a fluid seal. 7

From the foregoing description and from the illustration it will'be observed that when the parts are assembled in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, rotation of the cap 5 will cause a rotation of the spring 17 and a consequent axial displacement of theneedle valve 11 with respect to the orifice at the outlet'end of the passage.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 5 differs from the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. l primarily in that the needle valve member proper generally indicated at 24 in Fig. 6. The valve member 24 is provided with a cylindrical stem 25 and the usual conical point 26 and rearwardly of the stem 25 there are three circumferentially spaced radially and axially extending ribs 27 formed integrally with the body of the valve. The rearward end of the valve member 24 is cut olf at an angle indicated bythe line 28 thus forming a cam surface.

The barrel 6' of the valve body is internally provided with three axially extending grooves for the reception of the ribs 27 so that the valve member 24 may be moved axially in the bore of the valve.

The upper end 29 of the ribs 27 forms an abutment for a spring 30 which is interposed between the abutment 29 and the inner surface of the cap 8' so as to at all times resiliently urge the needle valve away from its seat in the end of the cap. The needle valve 24 is moved toward its seat compressing the spring 30 by means of a spring 31, the terminal convolution of which bears against the inclined face 28 or cam surface of'the needle valve so that depending upon the rotational position of the spring 31 the valve member 24 will be at selected positions with respect to the seat. The spring 31 is at its rear end formed with a straight extension 32 terminating in a rebent end 33 by which the spring 31 may be rotated in the same manner as the spring 17 in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that in the'embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 two springs constantly act on the valve member 24, the

spring 30 tending to move the valve member off its s'eat and the spring 31, depending upon its rotational position, providing an abutment which fixes the extent to which the spring 30 can move the valve off its seat, if at all.

A further modification of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9, the latter figure being a side elevational view of the type of needle valve utilized in the modification of Fig. 7. Such needle valve comprises a stem portion 34 having the usual conical point 35 and rearwardly on the body it is provided with radially extending ribs.

36 which are provided at axially spaced points with transversely extending slots 37 which are so spaced with respect to each other and so inclined in the several ribs 36 as to form helical passages for the reception of the actuating spring 38. Spring 38 similarly to the spring 17 in Fig. l bears against a shoulder 39 in the barrel and is provided with an extension 40 and a rebent end 41 by Cit valve member off its seat. The extent to which'the spring 42 may thus move the valve ofi its seat is, of course, determined by the rotational position of the spring 38.

The utilization of two springs as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 insures that there is never any end play in the means by which the needle valve is positioned with respect to its seat.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and nonrotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; a cam surface on said needle valve member, a helical spring arranged coaxially with said needle valve member and having a portion thereof in engagement with said cam surface, and means for retating said spring.

which the rotational position of the spring 38 may be adjusted by rotation of the cap 5" in the manner described in connection with the description of operation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Interposed between the upper ends of the rib'36 and the cap 8" is a spring 42 which is under compression and which similarly to the spring 30 of the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 tends to move the conical end 35 of the 2. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; a cam surface on said needle valve member; spring means resilientlyurging said needle valve away from itsseat, a helical spring arranged coaxially with said needle valve member and having a portion thereof in engagement with said cam surface, and means for rotating said spring.

3. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; a cam surface on said needle valve member, a helical spring, rotatable in said passage coaxially with said needle valve member, and

having a forward portion thereof'in engagement with said cam surface, and a rearward portion seating as a fixed abutment, and means for rotating said spring.

4. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided .With a passage therethrough tern1inat ing at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needlevalve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; a cam surface on said needle valve member, spring means resiliently urging said needle valve away from its seat, a helical spring rotatable in said passage coaxially with said needle valve member, a forward portion thereof in engagement with said cam surface, and a rearward portion seating on a fixed abutment and means for rotating said spring.

5. A needle valve comprising in combination a 'body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by 'an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movementtoward and away from said seat; means providing a cam slot on the periphery of said needle valve member, a helical spring rotatable in said passage whilerestrained against axial displacement in a direction away from 'said seat, in telescopic relation with said needle valve member and having at least one helical turn thereof in said cam slot, and means for rotating said spring.

6. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; juxtaposed cam surfaces on said needle valve member respectively facing toward and away from said valve seat; a helical spring in telescopic relation with said needle valve member and having at least a portion of one helical turn thereof extending between said cam surfaces, and means for rotating said spring.

7. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; juxtaposed cam surfaces on said needle valve member respectively facing toward and away from said valve seat; spring means resiliently urging said needle valve away from its seat, a helical spring rotatable in said passage while restrained against axial displacement in a direction away from said cam surfaces in telescopic relation with said needle valve member and having at least a portion of one helical turn thereof extending between said cam surfaces, and means for rotating said spring.

8. A needle valve comprising in combination a body portion provided with a passage therethrough terminating at one end in an egress orifice surrounded by an inwardly facing seat, a needle valve member slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said passage for movement toward and away from said seat; means providing a cam slot on the periphery of said needle valve member, spring means resiliently urging said needle valve away from its seat; a helical spring rotatable in said passage while restrained against aXial displacement in a direction away from said slot; in telescopic relation with said needle valve member and having at least one helical turn thereof in said cam slot; and means for rotating said spring.

No references cited. 

